Virginia White Bland – Quitman County, Mississippi

Virginia White Bland, 75, a retired merchant, died of heart failure Friday, February 11, 2000, at Quitman County Hospital.

Services were at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 14, at West Marks Baptist Church in Marks with burial in Forrest Memorial Park at Batesville. Rev. Mike Smithey officiated. Kimbro Funeral Home of Marks had charge of arrangements.

Born March 3, 1924, at Essex in Quitman County to Mr. James Dolph White and Mrs. Bertha Ann May White, Mrs. Bland worked for many years with her husband running Bland’s Store on Hwy 6, west of Marks. A member of West Marks Baptist Church and a dedicated member of the Quitman County Hospital Auxiliary, she was named Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year for the state of Mississippi in 1989. She headed the drive to get a helipad at the Quitman County Hospital and was also nominated for “1000 Points of Light” by President George Bush.

She is survived by her husband, J. W. Bland of Marks; a daughter, Frances Keane of Ridgeland; a son, Johnny Bland of Marks; two brothers, Glen White of Marks and J. D. White of Tuscaloosa, AL; six sisters, Inez Bishop of Oxford, Christine Helems of Vardaman, Genero O’Neal of Covington, TN, Frankie Fernandez and Shirley Carter, both of Hernando; and Ruby O’Bryant of Monroe, LA; five grandchildren, Rhonda Guest Zuga of Madison, Rebecca Keane Temple of Ocean Springs, Robert John Keane, Jr. of Ridgeland, Kevin Bland of Jonesboro, AR and Kimberly Bland of Batesville; and one great-grandchild, Virginia Grace Temple of Ocean Springs.

The pallbearers were Kevin Bland, John Zuga, Bobby Glen White, Jerry O’Neal, Robert John Keane, Jr., Mark Temple, Scottie Fernandez, and H. C. Bland.

The family requests that memorials be made to West Marks Baptist Church at Marks.

The Bland family wishes to express its gratitude for the many acts of love, compassion, and kindness shown during their time of sorrow. They especially want to thank the West Marks Baptist Church family for their caring and concern.

Quitman County Democrat, February 17, 2000

Photo By Elipongo – Own work, Public Domain, Link